Stolen Splendor
by Pokeluv101
Summary: "I will steal the splendor of your sun." Red recieved the threat but he was only worried about his ability to protect his clients. But he didn't know what to make of his latest client. Yellow knew she didn't leave the greatest impression on Red and it didn't help that she was assigned to steal from him under the guise of being his new client. {Specialshipping/AU}


**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

Yellow clutched the number she was given and studied the auction before her. On stage was a Berlitz heirloom, a knife dubbed the Splendor of the Sun, and others were screaming bids. But she knew that she would be the one to walk away with the knife. Platina's funds seemed to be endless and even if someone outbid her she would find a way to steal it.

"A hundred grand!" Yellow called out and lifted her number for the auctioneer to see. The auction went into a hush silence at her bid and she was glad that she was in disguise so none of them would recognize her. While a hundred grand seemed like a lot for a simple knife she knew its true value was in the crimson amber embedded in its hilt, the Sun.

She had seen it once but its beauty and warmth still resonated in her. Yellow refused to let a beautifully crafted knife to be traded in the underbelly of the world or be used to shed blood. Yes it was a knife, but Yellow saw the care it was crafted with and considered it art. She sympathized with the late artist whose art was now being mistreated.

"Two hundred grand!" A voice Yellow knew too well cut through the silence and she looked up at the man that made the bid, Red. He was several rows in front of her but she could see him clearly. He was tall so when he stood he was easy to point out among a crowd. Why was he at the auction? She knew that Platina paid her employees well but not enough to spend two hundred grand without losing sleep.

"Three hun-" She started to call out but stopped when Red turned to face. She could read his face and knew that he was shocked that she was bidding against him with such a large amount. There was also a determination in his eyes and to her horror she knew that he would try to outbid her even if he couldn't afford it. What was he doing?

The auctioneer brought down his goblet like a judgment call and she knew that it was too late. Red gave her a smile of pity which she didn't understand. Everyone at the auction didn't know the true origin of the knife and thought that it was another memento. Did he know about the people after the knife? Did he know that it was a Berlitz heirloom?

"That's impossible," she whispered to herself. Even if Red worked for Platina, he couldn't have known about the knife and that it had been stolen. They told the staff that Platina sent the heirlooms to a safe in their villa for safekeeping. She stared at his back as he stood and left. He wasn't staying for the rest of the auction and that made it all the more obvious that his only objective was the knife.

She didn't have any other reason to stay so ran after him. She needed to find out what his intentions were and by god she hoped that it was an honest mistake. It couldn't possibly be that he wanted the knife for any alternative motive but the pure appreciation of art! Red was a good man that helped her and she didn't know what she would do if she was tasked with stealing from him.

Yellow followed Red out of the ballroom of the hotel where the auction was being held at. She was small so was easily able to hide and watch him from a distance. He didn't go into the lobby but walked into a hallway which didn't help her suspicion. He looked over his shoulder before he made a phone call. "It's me Red. I think I found another of Platina's heirloom at the auction."

Yellow's body stiffened when he named the origins of the knife. Who was he speaking with on the phone? If Red knew about Platina's heirlooms, that would cause trouble for the vigilantes. She knew that they would have to keep him from finding the truth but she didn't want to put him danger. But he was involved now that he held the Splendor of the Sun.

* * *

"You're firing me?" Red clutched his hands into fists when Platina calmly told him that she didn't need his services anymore. He just found proof that people were stealing her heirlooms and she was ignoring him! His job was to protect his client but he couldn't do that when she was being so stubborn.

"I never said that I was firing you. I said that _I_ didn't need your services anymore. You are very talented at your job of being a bodyguard so it would be foolish to fire you. But I already have two capable bodyguards so I'm reassigning you to protect my cousin." Platina told him with a flat tone and Red didn't know how he should feel about the change of events.

Platina was clearly hiding something and it felt as if there something was off about the Berlitz family ever since he arrived to the estate. He didn't want to think the worst of people but Red was worried that the family was involved in something dangerous that could put them at risk. Platina didn't seem to be at all conflicted by her decision as she motioned for someone to enter.

"You will now be protecting my cousin Amarillo. But you may call her Yellow." Red turned to see who entered and his breath was taken away. The woman seemed to be a golden angel since her hair and eyes reflecting the precious mineral. Recognition sparked in his mind. Didn't she work for the museum and Platina? "Yellow lives outside our estate so you must relocate to protect her."

"I'm sorry I know this must be an inconvenience to you." Yellow said softly to him but she wasn't able to look into his eyes since she was afraid that he would recognize her. She doubted that he would since he failed to do so twice before but there was always that risk. She knew that she didn't make the best first impression on him and it wasn't any better now that she was assigned to steal from him.

"It's my job to do everything I can to protect you so there's no reason for you to be sorry," Red assured her though he was studying her face. She purposely looked at her feet so her bangs would hide her eyes. His hand came into view and she looked up to see his large smile. "I know it's not polite to ask a lady this but would you like to take a walk to get to know each other better?"

Yellow looked towards Platina who nodded. She couldn't refuse Red or else he would become suspicious. She took his hand and he placed it on her arms as if he was an earl and she was truly a lady. She knew that she had to become close to Red to steal back the knife but she was worried that he would recognize her. They met several times before yet he wasn't questioning her being Platina's cousin.

Red wasn't a stupid person and both of them knew that. And that was what worried Yellow. What could he be thinking?

Yellow didn't understand why Platina insisted that she should the one to steal back the knife from Red since Blue was their master of disguise so she would've been the better choice. She had little experience with lying and never felt comfortable with doing so. The only thing that drove her to join the vigilante was her love for art and the injustice towards Platina's family.

"I haven't worked with Missy's family for long so I didn't know that she had a cousin living so close. But you and Missy must be close if she's worried enough about you to assign me to protect you. I hope we can be close as well since we're going to be spending so much time together," Red made polite conversation with her as he held the door open for her.

They stepped out into the garden and Yellow felt more relaxed. She always enjoyed nature and would often paint outside in the forest she was raised near. Of course she couldn't tell Red about her rustic upbringing because he thought that she was a highborn woman. So she thought of what Platina would say. "The weather is lovely today, isn't it Mr. Red?"

Red didn't comment that her eyes weren't on the clouds but on the flowers instead. Despite her having amber eyes like Platina, he knew that they weren't related. Her behaviour was different from his other rich clients as well. So who was she? There was something different about her and he didn't know what he should make of her. She was hiding something but his gut told her that she was kind.

"You don't need to be so formal with me. Just call me by my first name, Red. It's a little hot so why don't we talk on that bench by the fountain?" Red gestured to the fountain he often spent his free time at. He liked to train and improve his fighting skills. He didn't know why he always enjoyed sitting on that bench but something about it always felt familiar. Like home.

On the other hand, Yellow's legs jerked to a stop once she saw the bench he was motioning to. Why did he choose that bench? Did he actually remember meeting her and was mocking her by reminding her of how they first met? She didn't think Red was a person to hold a grudge and his smile was natural so she didn't think that was the case. But she didn't ask him if he remembered and risk her identity.

Forcing herself to be natural, she nodded and followed him to the fountain. Red saw how she didn't hesitate to sit on edge of the fountain. Most highborn ladies he knew would've tried to brush off the dirt on the fountain before sitting. Her clothes were much more modest as well. If her eyes weren't so innocent, he would've been more worried about why she was deceiving him.

He forgot what he was going to say for a moment when he saw her run her hand over the design carved into the fountain. There was something familiar about that action and he tried to capture the memory attached to it but it slipped through his fingers. His gaze moved from her to her reflection in the water. When she picked up a lily in the water, he finally remembered.

"That's it!" Red said suddenly and she jumped. He was staring at her deep in thought and his reaction startled her. He saw that and smiled reassuringly at her. "Sorry, I got overly excited. I've been trying to remember why this fountain has a special memory for me. You see, the first time I came to this estate I met this maid. Man I wonder what happened to her since I haven't seen her since that first day-"

Yellow tried to hide the panic she felt at the mention of their first meeting. From his reaction she knew that he just started to remember their meeting and she didn't want to risk him remembering any more of that day. Firstly he would know that she wasn't Platina's cousin but also hinder any chances of them becoming friends.

"I just remember that I have an errand to do!" Yellow stood sharply and quickly walked ahead of him, hoping that he would follow without question. She was glad that he did and tried to think of an errand. "I need to reply to some messages. We should head to my home so go pack while I do that. You don't need to worry about me since I'll still be in the estate."

Yellow started to leave but Red stopped her by gently putting a hand on her arm. Red wondered if she had ever had a bodyguard in the past since he couldn't leave his client alone. "Missy already arranged for my things to be sent to your home but even if that wasn't the case I can't leave you alone. It's my job to make sure you're safe after all."

"I know this is your job but I assure you that I am in little danger. My family is just being over protective." Yellow forced the lie out of her mouth. She knew she couldn't do something like deceive Red and this was only proving her right. Platina ordered her to get close enough to Red to steal the knife but distant enough so he wouldn't recognize her. Who would be able to achieve the two extremes?

Yellow laughed away his worry and the innocence in her eyes made him remember another pair of innocent eyes. The memory of them made his stomach turn and he looked down at the ground to escape it. Just thinking about it made his injury ache despite it being healed long ago. He couldn't fail another client so he pulled her back when she started to move away.

"Even if that's true, I take this job seriously." Red leaned closer and her heart began race when she saw his eyes become serious for the first time. He didn't know how she would react to his words but said them anyways. "I just have one rule for all of my clients: You're not allowed to fall in love with me."

"Fall in love with you?" His tone wasn't conceding but pained and she wondered why he felt a need to voice such a rule when it was already in their contract.

Red nodded and she stared up at him in wonder. The pain in his voice told her that the reason was much more than professionalism. He didn't know if he could explain to her why but she would continue to worry until he told her. Without giving her too much detail, he said. "The last client that fell in love with me died. I killed her…"

* * *

Yellow couldn't help but hear Red's confession repeat itself in her mind. He killed one of his clients? She couldn't believe and was sure that he… She stopped herself when she remembered how serious he was and the logical part of her mind told her that Red wouldn't joke about a death so easily.

She sat in the car with Red driving beside her but there was nothing but silence between them. Red could sense the tension in the air and knew that he caused it. A part of him wondered if it was better if he didn't tell her that one condition he had. In the end, he made that rule to protect his client so he needed to voice it. She was looking out the window so he couldn't read her eyes.

They stopped at a red light and she finally turned to him. His heart began to race as her eyes peered at him since they were so innocent. He had other beautiful clients before so he didn't know why she was affecting him so much. He couldn't ask her much since Red didn't want to invade her private life and he need to keep the formality expected of bodyguard and client.

"I saw you at the museum before so do you and Platina collaborate a lot?" Red asked Yellow since it was the safest topic he could think of. Her eyes sparkled when she nodded.

"I'm a curator and I help plan the exhibits at times. I've always love art so I'm thankful for Platina for giving the opportunity to express myself as well as show my appreciation for other artists. They work so hard so I want to help their work be appreciated. I try to find those gems in the rough and display them in the museum since beauty isn't in the brand name only."

"You're really passionate," Red noted and was glad that the tension was starting to lessen. When she spoke about her job, she forgot the awkwardness around them and spoke freely. While the other refined lady he guarded had an appreciation for art, he could tell that Yellow loved it. Her voice was warm with that love and he found it infectious.

"You must think us simple folk really dull since I don't know a thing about art." Red laughed at himself and she shook her head. She didn't show any condensation to him as she told him.

"To each his own, I say. I can't tell you a single thing about Shakespeare or Mozart. You don't need to know everything about art to appreciate it though having knowledge certainly helps. I love to study the techniques of artist so I can easy tell what is forged or artificially produced. Unfortunately I've found a few of those while looking for works to display."

"That skill must be useful for finding stolen art," Red commented casually and her shoulders stiffen. A mix of emotions raged in her eyes but the two that confused him was guilt and sadness. The anger he saw was understandable since she told him she liked to sketch and would sympathise with victims of plagiarism but he couldn't understand the guilt.

"You will agree with me when I say that stealing someone's work is unforgivable, won't you?" Yellow's tone was serious when she asked him. Her eyes didn't quiver when she watched him for his answer. "That art belongs to the artist so they have the final say on what happens to it. Whether it's given to the public or kept away in a safe, it's their decision. Thieves take away that decision."

"You're right." Red agreed since he knew she would be angered if he gave her any other answer. He wondered how she would react if he told her that someone stole her family's heirlooms and were selling them. He had no doubt that she and Platina would do everything they could to recover them so why did Platina turn him away when he brought up the issue?

"I'm glad you feel the same way," Yellow smiled with relief. If he did find out about her work as a vigilante, he would understand her motivation. She understood Platina's need for privacy but she hated to keep secrets from people who could help. But he bought the Splendor of the Sun so she didn't know if he was an ally or an enemy.

Her mission was to steal it back from him but she didn't know how. There were so many possibilities and she worried over each one. She looked at Red's profile and wondered about how much they both changed since they met beside that fountain. His smile was so pure that day yet now she had yet to see it. He did smile at her but it was guarded.

* * *

"I know my studio's small but I hope that you can make yourself comfortable." Yellow opened the door and Red made sure to memorize its layout as she showed him each room. "I have only one bedroom but you can take it since I usually sleep in my art room."

"I can't take your bedroom," Red insisted. "I'll sleep on the couch."

Yellow laughed softly at the thought and gestured to the couch in answer to his insistence. His jaw dropped at how messy her living room was. She used her living room as an art room so her sketched her littered around the room and slowly became inhabitable over the years. She was small so she easily slept on the couch but she doubted a large man like Red could.

 _Green would have a heart attack if he saw this_ , Red thought to himself and found himself chuckling with Yellow. Art was obviously a passion of hers and didn't know if it left room for him in the living room. He couldn't take her bed and tried to think of a compromise. It was almost midnight so they needed to come to an agreement.

"I need to sleep out here in case someone tries to break in. I'm useless if I'm sleeping in your room while you're sleeping out here." Red told her and she thought over it for a while. Yellow was one to pick her fights carefully and knew that her safety wasn't something Red would give up on. While it made her happy that he wanted to protect her, she found it bittersweet since he only thought of it as a job.

"Okay," Yellow reluctantly agreed. She carefully closed one of the sketchbooks crowding the couch and handed it to him. "Can you put these on the table there while I get a blanket and pillow for you to use?"

Red nodded and she went into the bedroom to get a blanket for him. She knew that he wouldn't look through her sketches without her consent since he respected her privacy so left the room. While she was confident in her work, she didn't like people to see it until it was complete. But she didn't how she could work with him so close without becoming distracted.

"Are you sure you don't want the bedroom?" Yellow came back into the room and placed the blanket on the couch. He was looking at her photos on the wall and she hoped that Red wouldn't find any clues to her true identity in them. He was carefully stacking her sketchpads on the table and she could tell that he made sure not to bend any of the pages.

"I told you it's alright." He said over his shoulder, not looking away from the photos. Red was focused on a photo of her and the other vigilantes in front of the museum. They all looked happy and he knew they were close. He recognized Blue and remembered how he met her earlier in the year.

"I hope you don't get bored watching over me. I just need to work on my sketches and I'm not good company when I work," Yellow apologized. "You can sleep while I work. No one's really after me so you don't need to worry about protecting me."

"But it's my job to worry about you," Red told her and her heart tightened. He only cared for her since his job required it and her job required her to betray him.

* * *

Red watched Yellow work through hooded eyes. She insisted that he slept since she didn't feel comfortable with someone watching her while she worked. So he pretended to sleep while he watched her work. He wouldn't leave her unguarded even if she thought there was no danger.

She sat on a plush chair across him with her legs tucked beneath her and a blanket over her shoulder. He thought watching her sketch would be boring but he enjoyed watching various emotions cross her face. She had an expressive face and he found himself liking that trait in her. Someone with such honest feelings couldn't lie.

Yellow made a large yawn and she set her sketchpad aside. She silently went to stand next to him and he made his breath even so she wouldn't notice that he was awake. Her hands were gentle when she adjusted the blanket over him so that it would cover him more. He opened his eyes slightly to see her sit on her plush chair again and tried to continue sketching.

He watched her eyes slowly lower until she leaned back against the chair and fell asleep. Red thought that it was cute how she fell asleep so easily since she was excitedly drawing a moment before. He touched the blanket she pulled over him. She was kind and he found it ironic that she was taking care of him when it was his job to take care of her.

Moonlight streamed through the window and he studied her in the dim light. Why was her face so familiar? A shadow casted over her and he turned to the window to see a toy plane hovering in the air. He threw off the blanket and positioned himself between Yellow and the window. He cautiously opened the window but it continued to hover in front of him.

He noticed a letter hanging from a string attached to the plane. Once he took it, the plan flew away and he wondered who was controlling it. He followed it until it was out of sight and memorized the model and the path it took in case he needed the information later. Red glanced at the letter and found that it was only one sentence.

 _I will steal your splendor._

* * *

 **Why is it that I make concepts I have no ability to complete? I think I'm going to discontinue my Stolen Series since it's going nowhere. I find that I can't write contemporary mystery since I discontinued my Seasons Series too -.- I didn't want my idea to go to waste so I'm posting the first chapter since I really did like it.**


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